Jennifer Hudson Rumored To Join ‘American Idol’ As Judge

Jennifer Hudson may be returning to the show that launched her into the spotlight, that is if reports of her signing on as a judge for next season of American Idol are true.

According to The Wrap, the Idol finalist turned Oscar and Grammy winner is in talks to return to the show as a judge for season 13, but her reps have yet to confirm. Hudson was a finalist in season three, finishing in seventh place, and recently appeared on stage with current Idol winner Candice Glover during last week’s season finale. Vulture first reported that JHud was offered a judging spot in the show’s plan to rework the entire judging panel with Idol alumni. Adam Lambert and Clay Aiken are also said to be in the running, though nothing has been confirmed by the network.

“The show’s producers feel they’ve lost their core audience,” an insider told The Wrap. “And they want to bring back former contestants in order to tell their core audience, ‘We love you.’ They know they’ve made some major mistakes over the past few seasons and they want to make it right with their fans.”

Fox Entertainment chairman Kevin Reilly told reporters last week that “everything is on the table” for the next season of the long running competition show, and will likely return to the three judge panel it started with in 2002.

The rumored facelift to the show comes after the remaining original judge Randy Jackson announced he’ll be leaving the show earlier this month. Though, the status on whether new judges Nicki Minaj, Keith Urban and Mariah Carey will be returning next season is still up in the air.